As the Black Snow Falls
by Song-of-Angellus
Summary: She lived in this nightmare… this cold, cold nightmare stained in black, impure soot. In which Sakura was originally from Kirigakure. And has a bloodline limit? "Why is the snow black?" Pairings: eventual Sasusaku -Kirigakure/Sakura centric-
1. Black Snow

Authors Note: Story writing is so hard. D: Please forgive me for not continuing my other stories. It's not like anyone reviewed anyway, so I deleted them because I ran out of ideas. T-T Hopefully this one will be a success.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

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The sun shone faintly as dawn approached, bringing the sky to life like colors streaked on a blank canvas. Rosy hues were painted across the heavens, blending into a dim orange, then a faded blue. Snow, ashen and black, gently flew down from above, dark specks staining the white blanket stretched across the barren landscape. Occasionally, one would fall softly onto the head of an innocent, young girl.

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_She cried…_

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Hugging her knees desperately, she sat and sobbed all alone, no one in the world to hear her sorrows. It was only the cold ebony, slowly gathering around her, that stopped to listen. They were oddly comforting to her great dismay. _The irony…_

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Prologue: _Black Snow_

"Okaa-san!" A small girl with pink tresses raced across the endless sheet of snow, rushing toward a woman with bright red hair that stopped right below her collar bone. One could clearly see the bright crimson, contrasting the snowy landscape surrounding her. Suddenly, the girl lost her balance, falling forward.

Anticipating painful contact to the frozen ground, she sealed her eyelids shut, though she never did feel the sting of pain. 'Huh?' Slowly the child opened her eyes.

The one known as her mom had caught her, a bit amused by the young girl's enthusiasm. "Be careful, Sakura-chan." She said soothingly as she grinned at the child.

Sakura greeted her with a hug, clinging onto her mother like a koala. Then just as quickly, she released, anxious to tell her mom what she and her dad did that day. "Okaa-san! Otou-san and I went sledding down the big, big hill this time!" The hyper little four year old cheerfully ranted on and on in her mother's arms.

"Was it fun?" Her mother asked, already knowing the answer. Sakura nodded furiously.

"It was amazing!" The petite girl said in a cheerful tone, accompanied with a look of excited contemplation. "Next time, will you come too?" She asked, wanting to spend time with both her mom and dad.

"Sure!" Her mother said happily. "as long as it's okay with your father." The red haired woman said as she looked lovingly at a man not far from where they stood, with pale white hair that spiked almost naturally.

Sakura left her mother's arms and dashed over to her dad, almost tripping again. "Can Okaa-san come next time?" She begged with puppy dog eyes.

He ruffled her hair, charmed by her liveliness. "Of course! We can all go tomorrow." The tall man assured her, wanting to spend as much time with his family as possible.

His face fell, feeling a bit guilty that she could not meet anyone her own age and make friends. They had had to move over and over again, and were lucky that they did not have to leave their current home yet. It just was not safe to live in any village on any of the islands in the Water Country.

Their only hope would be to eventually find a boat to sail them out of there, away from the Land of Water. But that was almost an impossibility, no boats were permitted to leave the country.

It would be difficult, but he would get them out of there. However, that responsibility was not going to stop him from giving his daughter the childhood she deserved.

His wife noted the change in his expression, but kept quiet for the time being and walked over to the two who she loved more than anything. "I've prepared lunch inside." She gestured to the small wooden cabin they called home.

Sakura's empty stomach growled. Noticing this, she ran off to the cabin. "Yay!" She, clearly hungry, cheered.

Unknown to Sakura as she ran, her mother had turned to her husband. 'It's not your fault.' She mouthed, trying her best to reassure him. He tried to smile back as they retreated back to the small wooden house, but he knew it was his fault.

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_the fault of his __blood_

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* * *

A few kilometers in the distance, torch fire danced with a dangerous glow. Fifty men, give or take a few, held them with prestige. Though they were, for the most part, only villagers, and perhaps maybe a few ninjas, it certainly did not stop them. Their dog's barked with _blood_ lust, snarling, sniffing, searching for something… or _someone_. Yes, they were the people of the Land of Water, the lunatics that started this civil war, though there was nothing civil about it.

"That way!" A man yelled, pointing amongst the trees. Swiftly, the men rushed into the distance. The torches, lit with fire, brought an ominous light to the cloudy day. They emanated a foggy, black smoke that floated up into the atmosphere. And then… snow softly fell.

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_like gentle, frozen tears_

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The young girl happily finished her meal, consisting of fish and rice. It wasn't anything special, but when her mom prepared it, it was delicious.

"Okaa-san, can I go outside again?" Sakura asked as she tippy-toed to put her plate into the sink. "The snow is falling, and I want to see it." She exclaimed happily.

"Go get you're coat first and then…" Before she could finish her sentence, Sakura was already out the door, her little white coat missing from the rack.

Small snowflakes landed on the girl's shoulder length pink tresses. She stared in wonder at the sky. The snow falling was just beautiful, breath taking even. This was the first winter she could clearly remember.

"Sakura, don't leave so fast next time." Her parents called, as they exited the house, closing the little wooden door behind them.

Suddenly, a miniscule, black snowflake landed on the tip of her nose. She scrunched up her face in confusion. "Okaa-san, Otou-san…" She began. "Why is the snow black?"

Her father's eyes dilated, knowing the danger. Something bad was about to happen. He ran inside briefly, coming back with a small backpack which had been packed before hand incase of this very event. It held non perishables, water, and certain _documents_.

Sakura's mother quickly brought the small girl to the safety of her arms. Ready, the three abandoned their small house, breaking into a dash.

"Why are we leaving?" The small girl asked, confused. That was their home. It was small, but it was still their home, nothing could change that. Her father built it about a year ago, and it held almost all her memories… memories that were precious to her.

"Shhh…" Her mother cooed. "Just go to sleep. Everything will be fine... I… I promise." Sakura felt relieved, despite not knowing of the situation at all. So she just listened to her mother's soothing voice, as she slowly drifted to sleep in her arms like she was told. Unbeknownst to the girl, her mother was just as unsure of how _'fine'_ they were really going to be. Something in her gut told her they weren't.

They dashed across the icy landscape of the land that surrounded them, quiet, and distressed. In the silence, one of them could not help but blame his self.

"I'm sorry… Akane… It's my entire fault." The man skidded to a stop, the white snow beneath him, jumping into the air, falling back down to the earth.

His wife followed suit, staring at him incredulously. There was a long pause before she responded. "Don't say that…" She whispered, with troubled eyes.

"But it's true…" He said blaming himself. "This damned Haruno _blood! _This _blood_ running through my veins…" Tears ran down his face, as he yelled at his self.

"Hiro-kun, it's not your fault…" Her voice was soft, consoling. "If it's anyone's fault it's _theirs_." She faltered as the black and white snow continued to rain down on them gently. The majority were white, though the number of black slowly increased.

"I… I don't deserve you…" A whisper left his lips, his hard, emerald eyes filled with guilt.

"Hiro-kun…" She smiled sadly at him. "I love you, and nothing will change that… I knew what I was getting myself into when I married you, and I don't regret it, not one bit... Besides…" Akane stared tenderly at the small pinkette in her arms. "Without you… We would never have had little Sakura-hime."

Hiro looked back to his wife with an expression of gratitude. "Thank you…" To them, Sakura was a blessing, an angel, and they would do anything to protect her.

"We should get going... before _they_ catch up." Akane averted her amber eyes to what was ahead of them. And so they ran…

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_ran from all their troubles…_

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* * *

The sun began to set with a dangerous blood red tint, staining the horizon. On the other end of the sky, a faint, waning crescent moon stood motionless, surrounded by an indigo mist. There it remained, suspended in the air, waiting… just waiting for its turn to be centered up above.

Down below, men littered the ground, barging into the small cottage Sakura called home, the place where her memories would always point back to. But they didn't know. And if they did, what would they care? It wouldn't stop them. No. They still invaded the area, all to search for their target:

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_Her Family_

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In mere seconds, the inside of the house was in shambles. The vile men found no one. Angered, they lit the house in a crimson fire that burned viciously. Black smoke accumulated rapidly, floating to the sky, exchanging soot with falling white dots.

The brigade then continued forward, with their blood thirsty dogs and their old weapons rusted red. Soon, the wind began to pick up, a blizzard of cold, black snow, now whirling around them, upsetting the flames, as if telling them to stop. But they were unfazed. In their minds, they blamed Kirigakure's bloodline limits… no, the Water Country's bloodline limits… every single one of them. And they were prepared to kill.

Hours upon hours passed, the thought of blood staining their hands excited them. This was not the first time they killed. In fact, they had already murdered many others with special _blood_. And besides this small group of only about fifty, there were others… others with that same resentment for _that_ blood. Others that killed without a second thought for those people. Who else was to blame?

Of course, they were naïve. They needed someone to accuse for the hell hole known as Kirigakure… the hell hole in the midst of war. People murdered their neighbor's families who were once their friends. These people…

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_They were blind._

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They were blinded by their country's poverty, blinded by their own weaknesses. But what did they care? They just needed someone to condemn… someone to carry that heavy burden. They would accomplish nothing in reality, but despite that, they would still be satisfied.

And so dusk came, winds still whirling, raging. If one listened closely… listened to the harsh, cold winds seeping through the snow covered branches, one could faintly hear something… _words_. Whispers in the night pleading,

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'_Stop… Please… Stop…'_

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Did the heavens want this to end? This nightmare… this cold, cold nightmare stained in black, impure soot. But anyone who listened would know this was only the beginning.

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_the beginning of this nightmare…_

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* * *

Jumping from one snowy branch to another, the unfortunate family ran without ever looking back. But as the blood red glow of fire, and the sound of barking dogs neared, it became increasingly hard to go onward… to breathe. This fear broke out of the insides of the two running… the fear of death.

"They're getting closer…" The man with pale white hair said. Breathing heavily, he continued. "We have to hide her." A lone tear escaped his eye.

Akane looked at the bundle in her arms sadly, and they stopped running, howls echoing off in the distance, getting closer… too close. "Sakura-chan…" The four year old stirred in her sleep as she was put down.

"Okaa-san?" She whispered. "Otou-san? Why are you guys crying?" Her innocent voice resounded as she rubbed her tired eyes. Soon, her father made his way to her side.

"It's nothing…" He said with a pained look on his face. Picking her up, he gently placed her into the hollow of an old, dead tree. "I want you to hide here, Sakura…" His tone was heartbreaking. "And no matter what, don't come out… don't come out until we come here for you." His deep, green eyes looked softly at his daughter. "And if no one comes, just wait here… wait here until morning… Can you promise me that, Sakura?"

She just could not comprehend the situation at hand. The only thing she could do was think solemnly to her self. 'Why were Otou-san and Okaa-san so sad?'

Puzzled by her father, she nodded, unsure. "I promise…" Hiro then gave her the small backpack that they had brought with them earlier, _handing her the truth that was confined in it_. It was apparent he was still downcast on what was about to take place in this barren, icy wasteland.

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'_I'll never hear you laugh again…'_

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His wife went to his side with depression that had never been found on her face before. Taking out a piece of parchment, she handed it to her only daughter. "If we don't show up…" She began, tormented by the thought of never again being able to hold her daughter. "I want you to take this to your aunt… She lives in a small village not far from Konohagakure and she'll know what to do when she gets it. Can you do that for me?"

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'_I'll never get to hold you…'_

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Sakura glanced back to her mom, pain struck her at the thought of her parents never coming back. "I can do that, Okaa-san." She said obediently. In her head she asked herself. 'Did I do something wrong?'

"You didn't do anything wrong, Sakura?" It was as if her mother had heard her thoughts. She was slightly relieved that her parents weren't angry.

Akane put her hands to the back of her neck, unclasping a metal hook removing a necklace that her husband had given her. The crystal that dangled at the end sparkled, different colors emitting from it each time light touched it.

"Here…" She put the necklace around Sakura's neck, adjusting it accordingly. "Whenever you're lonely… just look at this necklace, and remember us, your parents…" The thought of leaving her daughter drove a stake into her heart.

With such little time left, her parent engulfed her into a hug, as if it were going to be their last. _And it was…_ Releasing her, Hiro brought his hands out, slowly manipulating the snow to cover up the openings of the hollow tree. It was his damned _bloodline_… his **curse** that he left her with. The delicate ice snaked its way over the hollow. He left only a small hole for oxygen, but made it so that she couldn't see through. "We love you, Sakura…"

The sound of barking got louder… deadlier, as they reluctantly left. They were struck with grief.

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'_I'll never see you become a teenager… I'll never see you become a young woman… And I'll never see you get married…'_

'_But the thing I'll miss most of all…'_

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'_Is you…'_

'_And I'm sorry that I won't… __we won't__, be there.'_

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* * *

And ebony fell from the heavens, the tainted tears they were. The wind blew furiously, and the snow hardened.

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_Hail._

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On occasion, cold, black ice would rally off the couple that stood there, a woman with fiery red hair, and a man with ghostly white. It didn't bother them, no that wasn't it. What did bother them was the thought of their daughter, cold, and… _alone._ The thought that _those wretched people_ would find her…

They knew, that tonight, they would breathe their last. Hiro stared affectionately at his wife.

"I love you…" His voice was soft, and his hand gently held hers.

Akane squeezed back reassuringly, looking at him just as fondly. "I love you too…" As she spoke, he slowly leaned in.

Their eyes closed as he brought her into a tender, chaste kiss. Pulling away, he looked forward, to the dim orange glow of fire. By now, the corrupt men could be seen clearly, rushing toward the two of them.

"We'll fight them together." She spoke, determined to help. Her husband nodded his head hesitantly, he had never wanted to get his family into this, didn't want to see them get hurt.

The men were mere meters away, quickly closing the distance.

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_And all of hell broke loose…_

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* * *

Sakura shivered, desperately clutching the necklace her mother left to her. Was it the cold? Partly. But really, it was a shiver of sheer terror.

Outside, she could faintly hear the sound of battle, blood… the sounds that usually would accompany war.

Silently, she sobbed. 'What was happening?' She thought to herself, afraid that something bad had occurred unto her parents. It was impossible for her to understand. She was just too small, too innocent to know the cruelty of man.

The nightmare had reached its height as a blood curdling scream reached her ears. 'Okaa-san?' A quiet sob escaped her lips. What had happened to her? Not long after, another yell had joined hers, adding more grief and tears to the already miserable girl. And if Sakura knew what death was, she would know in an instant. Her parents were dead.

And as if her parent's demise did not satisfy them enough, they searched for more blood to spill. Sakura's breath hitched, fear overwhelming her. Dog's covered in a scarlet liquid sniffed around, barking. She could hear them coming. Would they find her? The suspense was simply ripping her apart. Countless hours passed, terror rushing through her veins, as they inspected the area.

They would frequently cross the old, dead hollow, unaware of her presence, sometimes even lingering for a minute too long. But no matter how hard they looked, they did not find her, for she had not made a sound. That night, she was restless.

Eventually, they finally left… leaving the lifeless bodies of her beloved ones without a care. They thought that what they did was right. 'as if' Her parent's weren't the problem. They were.

When it was clear that they were far from the area, and dawn had finally come, Sakura clawed her way out of the ice covered hollow, tears falling from her emerald eyes. Leaping out, she rushed out into the frozen tundra.

"Otou-san? Okaa-san?" She cried, searching through the bloodstained plain slowly being covered by the black and white snow. "Where are you?" Her parents would never leave her. They loved her. But it was inevitable… unavoidable.

Suddenly, she stopped, standing frozen at the sight at her parents' motionless bodies. She rushed to them, hoping maybe, they were just sleeping…

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_But they weren't…_

"Okaa-san, Otou-san… Please say you're okay." She shook their bodies, desperately trying to deny the fact they were not breathing. But they weren't breathing, and they weren't alive. That day, she learned what death was, and she cried… just hugged her knees and cried to the heavens. It was the break of dawn…

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_and the black snow still fell from the sky…_

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* * *

Tell me what you think. Good, bad, okay? I've reread this like 10 times, trying to fix all the mistakes. And then I researched everything about Kirigakure and the Water Country to prepare for future chapters so yeah…

I'm going to get started on the next chapter tomorrow. That doesn't guarantee it'll be done by then, but I have summer break so I have the time. Anyway, review please. Give me your criticism. :D


	2. A New Path

Authors Note: So, I stumbled upon my old, forgotten account, and decided to continue this story. I know it has been long, and I've forgotten what I had planned, but that's okay, I'll work this out.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

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Chapter 1: _A New Path_

Dark eyes watched the crying girl. His eyes narrowed. All his companions had left believing there was no one left, but he knew better. "I've found you." It was no more than a whisper.

He got up from behind the shade of a tree he had hid behind and pulled out an old rusted blade. With a battle cry,

_he surged forward._

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Something was wrong. There was someone here. The girl's eyes widened. Quickly turning to face her assailant, fear overwhelmed her. Expecting a blow that would surely end her life, she shut her eyes tightly and waited the seconds.

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_Soft white snow touched her face..._

_"It's alright, everything his fine."_

_The pain never came._

Sakura tentatively opened her eyes. The necklace her mother had given her was gleaming a pale blue, an aurora. Further observations of her surroundings revealed that her attacker was ensnared in ice and was knocked unconscious. The young girl smiled sadly.

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_"Whenever you're lonely…_

_just look at this necklace, and remember us,_

_your parents…"_

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**_always…_**

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She turned to her parents, their bodies still and lifeless. Tears welled up in her eyes once more. She walked up to them and gave each of them a light hug. How she longed for them to hug her back, but they were gone. She looked down at her necklace that hung from her neck. She grasped the small gemstone in her tiny hands, and closed here eyes._  
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_embraces_

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_smiles_

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_laughter_

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**_love__…_**

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_I'll remember__… always__…_

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_Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…_

Small feet sank into the dark stained snow. Her pink hair was slightly disheveled and her once brilliant green eyes were dull, red from the tears she had shed. Her hands clutched the small pack her parents had left her, and she walked. Her small uncoordinated feet would stumble, but still, she would walk. She walked with no destination in mind; the direction didn't seem to matter.

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_Because…_

_you __**can't**__ step back in time…_

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Suddenly, the small child's feet caught onto the root of an old overgrown tree. Feeling herself fall, she put her hands out in front of her. The palms of her hands and knees hit the stinging cold of the hard ice below her. Her pack slipped off her back and went into the air, it's contents flying out. She winced and let out a small cry.

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_no one to catch her__…_

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Slowly getting up, Sakura saw the slight crimson tinge in the snow beneath her feet. She looked to the palms of her hands and to her dainty knees. They were bleeding.

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_no one to stop the pain__…_

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The fall had stung. Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't know what to do. She was so young, only four, and she was all by herself. What could she, a small helpless four year old who lost her parents do? There was _**no**** one**_.

She bawled her small fists and blocked out the pain. Recollecting herself, she glanced to her side remembering the spilled contents of the small brown backpack. She got up cautiously and began to pick them up. Whilst gathering the the canned food and water bottles in her arms, she noticed the papers that littered the ground, most notable of them being a pale pink envelope. Quickly, she collected all the papers in her arms. They had gotten slightly wet from the ice and she didn't want the wind to suddenly blow them away. She carefully put them into the bag, except for the pale pink envelope. She peered down at it, and her eyes widened. It was written neatly and elegantly on the front of the envelope.

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**_Sakura_**

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It was for her. Her parents had taught her to read and she had learned quickly so they knew she could read it; it must have been for her. Tentatively, she broke the seal to see the envelope's contents.

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_Dear Sakura,_

_By the time you read this, we have most likely passed away._

_Out there, there are bad people, people who want to get us, people who want us to disappear. __Eventually, they may get to us, but stay strong._

_Know that while we may be gone, we'll always be with you. No matter how alone you think you are, **we'll always be in your heart**._

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_We only wish that things had been different, but you are strong Sakura. You were always smart, always quick to learn despite your young age._

_Even though we are gone, we want you to **be happy**. This might be hard to understand if you are still little, but you need to leave the Water Country._

_Tell no one of what your father could do and tell no one of your surname._

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_It will be hard, but you will need to find a boat to the mainland that will safely take you away from the Land of Water._

_Sakura, we know this is lot to take in, but we believe in you. We're **so, so sorry **that we can't be there with you._

_Just always remember that **we love you**._

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_~ Mom and Dad_

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The four year old read the letter slowly, taking in each and every word. She began to cry.

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_why did **this** have to happen?_

_why_

_why_

_why? __…_

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Fresh tears spilled onto the letter as she carefully folded it and put it back into the pale pink envelope. She had to be strong. She **had** to.

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_We'll always be in your heart____…_

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Sakura zipped up the backpack, strapping it to her small back.

"I know what I have to do." She whispered to no one except herself.

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_"I want you to take this to your aunt…_

_She lives in a small village not far from Konohagakure and she'll know what to do when she gets it._

_Can you do that for me?"_

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Sakura took the folded piece of parchment out of her pockets and eyed it carefully. A flimsy piece of paper was tied to the front, also keeping the paper folded.

It read: _Ikisu_.

The small girl guessed that that was the small village her mother told her about. Putting the folded sheet back into her coat pocket, she began to walk again. It was still early morning, and the sun began to peak through the clouds, the warm beams of light touching her face. It soothed her, almost like her parents were reaching out to her, comforting her. They'd always be in her heart, wouldn't they? She beamed out a smile.

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_'Otou-san, Okaa-san, I'll do my best!'_

_._

The little girl sped off, hoping to reach the next town soon. She didn't know what she was going to do, but it was a start.

* * *

The landscape was cold, dark, and bloody. Two bodies lay dead, hands intertwined together until the very end. Not far from the couple was a man in ragged clothes. He lay on the ground, ice wrapping around him like the veins in his body. The sun's rays blared at his scarred face _too many scars_, and the ice encasement was slowly melting. Feeling the heat of the sun against his face with contrasting feeling of the ice on the ground caused him to stir.

His eyes shot open. Looking around his surroundings he bared his teeth and grimaced. The memories of the events prior to his awakening flooded back. 'That damn **Haruno** girl!' he thought. She was still alive, and it angered him. It was people like her that had caused the death of his wife, of his kids. Their blood was tainted. Roughly, he broke his arm free of the ice surrounding it. He then proceeded to do the same with the rest of his body, and jerked himself up.

He glanced at the dead couple to his right, to the intertwined fingers. His face softened for a second before it was replaced with a scowl. He wouldn't feel remorse. No, **they** were the reason he wasn't happy. He had helped kill the two, and he would kill that pink haired girl too. He frowned once again and headed back, back to the rest of the group._  
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**She _doesn't_ deserve to live!**

_he kept telling himself that____…_

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"What is it Ichiro?!" A kirigakure ninja shot a glare at the man who stood before him. They had set up camp and were making their way back to wherever they came. "We already killed that accursed couple. I saw no reason for you to continue the search."

"There was one left. They had a daughter!" Ichiro spat back. He was so close to ending it, but that damn pale blue light!

The ninja rose a single eyebrow. "Then why didn't you end it?" He obviously wasn't pleased.

"There was a light, and before I knew it, I passed out!" Ichiro didn't have to explain himself to this guy. He sneered. It wasn't his fault. They were the ones who decided to leave right away.

The ninja snickered. His laugh was dark. "Then we'll just have to go after her, won't we?" He laughed again, and made his way back into his tent, leaving a slightly perturbed Ichiro behind. The man almost seemed like he enjoyed killing. He choked a bit, and reevaluated himself. Was this feeling guilt?

Ichiro shook his head. He wanted this. He wanted her dead. She was **damned**.

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_I'm not guilty, am I?_

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Along the encampment, Ichiro could hear the dogs snarl. They would tear the pink little girl apart. But_____… why did he care?_ He wanted to kill her just as much when he encountered her. This was for his wife_____…_ for his family.

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_'Isn't that what the couple had done to save their daughter?'_

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He threw those thoughts away. He didn't care. If he didn't get her killed, she would surely cause pain to others, pain that he felt to this day, p_ain of loss_.

"I don't care!" He scowled at his self. Setting up his own tent in a far off corner he chanted it in his head.

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**'I don't care!'**

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'I don't care'

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_'I don't care…_

_do I?'_

* * *

Sakura gripped the metal tab with her hand and pulled. She was hungry, and she had stopped awhile to eat breakfast. It was difficult to open the can despite the easy open tab. She was only four after all. Mustering up as much strength as she possibly could, she gave it one last tug. _'pop!'_

She smiled at the sound of can opening. She quickly dug into her backpack for a bottle of water and a pair of chopsticks. She then turned back to the food, and dug her chopsticks inside, clumsily grabbing a fish and plopping it into her mouth. _Canned fish_. It was cold and it tasted a bit funny, but she bared with it. She was hungry after all. She sighed. The young girl wondered how she was going to do all this alone. The canned food was not going to last forever.

After taking another bite and getting a sip of water, she looked up to the sky.

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_'Are you watching me from up there?'_

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After finishing her meal, Sakura had quickly packed her things, and set off again. The walk was long and tiring. In a matter of hours she had managed to make it to a nearby village, slightly out of breath and her legs a bit wobbly. She had no idea where she was. Her parents rarely went to town. They had told her it was dangerous.

_she now knew why______…_

She stepped into the village cautiously, careful to not make any eye contact. If people knew about her _blood_, it would not end well.

Her small feet pattered on the stone paved path that branched out to others. She needed to find someone who could take her the mainland and away from the Land of Water.

"Hey, you there?" Her ears perked up. Was someone addressing her? She turned around to see, her eyes meeting the dark brown eyes of a young boy that was older than her.

After he saw that he got her attention, he asked, "What is a little girl like you doing all by yourself?" His voice wasn't angry. It was soft and gentle, but could she trust him? She didn't know.

"Who are you?" She asked. She didn't know who he was. For all she knew, he could be out to get her.

_'there are bad people, people who want to get us, people who want us to disappear.'_

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't even know me." He smiled lightly, but he looked _pained. _His clothes were a bit tattered, but it wasn't that. It was something else. "My name is Haku."

Sakura didn't know why, but she made a decision.

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_She would trust him._

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* * *

And now I have to remember or figure out what the hell I was going for in this story. I promise to update soon. Like that went well at all the last time I promised… Also, I hadn't planned on making Ichiro when I first started this story, but it just sort of happened. With the long hiatus, the original story I was thinking is kind of lost, but this new one is still pretty good. Anyway, I just know this story is going to be long. Sakura is only four.

So, what do you guys think of the story so far? I threw Haku in there, so it's going to be interesting. The Hidden Mist is going to be playing a large part in the rest of the story line.


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